2008 Hyundai Elantra Powertrain (other) Problems

2008 Elantra should be added to the crankshaft Theta II recall. 2098 Elantra has the 2.0L engine unlike its prior years where they are made with a 1.6L engine. Last week my 2008 Elantra exhibited all the signs of this malfunction (A knocking noise from the engine that increases in frequency as the engine rpm increases. Reduced power and/or hesitation and vibration. Illumination of the “check engine” light in the instrument cluster. Illumination of the “engine oil pressure” warning lamp.) When this occured i had taken it to Auto Zone and had the computer scanned for error codes. (See attached report). Based on the report a tune up was done, ignition coil replaced and sensor replaced. Car would still not start. When my mechanic furthe diagnosed it (he could not find the issue until he used his scope camera)he found the issue was that there is damage to the "trigger wheel" inside the crank shaft. He also said this almost never happens in a car and does not know what could have made this happen. Please investigate this issue further, this is a dangerous situation of engine seizing and should be investigated immediately and thoroughly.

NHTSA ID

11499650

Incident

Dec 22, 2022

MY CAR WOULDN'T START AND HISSED WHEN IT DID KING HYUNDAI SAID "HISSING WAS THE CONDENSATION BECAUSE IT HADN'T BEEN DRIVEN FOR SO LONG" (3 YEARS - JUST WENT OUT AND STARTED IT ONCE IN A WHILE). KH TOLD ME AFTER EXTENSIVE CHECKING & VIDEOING THE UNDERSIDE OF CAR (THEY SENT ME VIDEO) THAT IT WAS THE BATTERY. IT DIED ON THE WAY HOME ! AND THEN: - KH MISDIAGNOSED MY CAR THREE TIMES ! - HEAD GASKET NOW - KH TOLD ME THEY TOOK "SEVERAL TEST DRIVES" YET THE MILEAGE IN & THE MILLAGE OUT ON THEIR INVOICE WAS EXACTLY THE SAME ! - TOOK OVER A MONTH TO GIVE ME ESTIMATE - WILL NOT RETURN MY CALLS (30+ CALLS) TO THE SERVICE MANAGER - DEALER MANAGER FAILED TO RETURN MY CALLS ALSO - EVEN THOUGH HYUNDAI CUSTOMER CARE DEPT THEMSELVES SUGGESTED THE DEALER HONOR THE 100,000/10 YEAR WARRANTY - KH REFUSED ! - KH HAD PUT AN ERRONEOUS LIEN ON THE CAR THE DAY OF PURCHASE AND IT TOOK ME OVER A MONTH TO HAVE REMOVED - PLEASE NOTE: MY MOTHER BOUGHT THE CAR NEW FROM THIS SAME DEALER - I WAS WITH MOM AND SHE WROTE THEM A CHECK FOR THE FULL PURCHASE PRICE. KH CONVINCED MOM TO ALLOW THEM TO PUT LIEN ON THE CAR WHICH KH TOLD US WOULD BE IMMEDIATELY REMOVED SO THEY COULD GET THE FINANCING BONUS OR WHATEVER THEY CALL IT. SO WHEN I WENT TO SELL THE CAR EARLIER THIS YEAR (MOM PASSED AWAY AS WELL AS MY SISTER IN BOCA RATON AND I'M TRYING TO ORCHESTRATE THIS FROM CALIFORNIA WHERE I LIVE ) AND I HAD TO GET A DUPLICATE TITLE THE LIEN WAS RIGHT THERE !!! LONG STORY SHORT IT TOOK ME OVER A MONTH TO HAVE ERRONEOUS LIEN REMOVED SO I COULD EVEN GET THE TITLE ! THE KH DENIED PUTTING THE LIEN ON (REMEMBER I WAS THERE) AND WHEN I CALLED THE LIEN HOLDER - THEY ALSO DENIED EVER PUTTING IT ON - BLAH BLAH BLAH. IT TOOK ME DOZENS OF PHONE CALLS TO GET TO THE BOTTOM OF THIS - PLEASE HELP ME! AND THIS IS THE SHORT VERSION !

NHTSA ID

11376182

Incident

Nov 24, 2020

Mileage

57,000 mi

THE VEHICLE WILL ROLL AWAY WHEN PLACED IN PARK (WHILE STATIONARY) IF ATTEMPTING TO PARK ON ANY SLIGHT INCLINE OR DECLINE. A RATCHETING SOUND IS HEARD COMING FROM THE TRANSMISSION WHEN THIS OCCURS AS THE VEHICLE IS ROLLING OUT OF CONTROL. SOMETIMES IT STARTS TO ROLL AFTER YOU HAVE EXITED THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED THE SAME CONCERN SEVERAL YEARS AGO AND THE TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED WITH A GOOD USED TRANSMISSION. NOW THE USED TRANSMISSION IS EXPERIENCING THE SAME ISSUE WITH NOT STAYING IN PARK. A PEDESTRIAN WAS NEARLY STRUCK LAST WEEK BY THE VEHICLE ROLLING AWAY BUT I WAS ABLE TO GET BACK IN IT AND STOP IT WITH THE SERVICE BRAKE. I HAVE READ ONLINE THAT THIS IS A COMMON OCCURRENCE WITH THE HYUNDAI ELANTRA AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSIONS.

NHTSA ID

11292224

Incident

Dec 24, 2019

Mileage

153,002 mi

ON AUGUST 3RD 2018 I PURCHASE A 2008 HYUNDAI ELANTRA FROM CAMPBELL AUTO FINANCE USED CARS AND TRUCKS IN GILROY CALIFORNIA WHEN I WAS DRIVING HOME ON THE FREEWAY DOING 65 I HEARD A BIG THUMPING NOISE IN THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE LIKE IT SHIFTED OUT OF DRIVE AND CAME BACK INTO DRIVE THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON EVERY TIME I DROVE THE CAR IT WILL MAKE THAT NOISE POP OUT OF GEAR AND GO BACK INTO DRIVE ON AUGUST 7TH 2018 I WAS DRIVING MY CAR BACK TO GILROY THE CAR MADE A HARD BUMPING NOISE AND THEN THE CAR WAS STUCK INTO 3RD GEAR AND IT'S STILL STUCK IN 3RD GEAR AND IT WILL NOT COME OUT

NHTSA ID

11118567

Incident

Aug 7, 2018

Mileage

126,345 mi

TRANSMISSION SLAMS INTO THIRD GEAR WHILE DRIVING (COULD BE ON SIDE STREET, COULD BE ON THE HIGHWAY) AND CAN ONLY OPERATE IN THIRD AFTER THAT UNTIL THE ENGINE IS TURNED OFF. I TOOK IT TO A TRANSMISSION PLACE AND THEY SAID IT IS THE COMPUTER NOT THE MECHANICS OF THE TRANSMISSION. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT DOES COME ON WHEN THIS HAPPENS. THIS HAS HAPPENED MULTIPLE TIMES FIRST BEING IN NOVEMBER THE MOST RECENT WAS YESTERDAY ON THE FREEWAY. I HAVE SERVICED THE TRANSMISSION APPROPRIATELY.

NHTSA ID

11060895

Incident

Nov 16, 2017

Mileage

130,000 mi

ACCIDENT MAJOR TRIED STOPING AND CAR STOP ALITTLE THEN GAS EXCELARATES FORWARD NEVER NOTIFIED ABOUT RECALL CAUSED THREE ACCENTS AFTER

NHTSA ID

10903360

Incident

Dec 13, 2013

Mileage

89,000 mi

WAS DRIVING AT REGULAR SPEED (35MPH TO 40MPH) THEN MY I FELT A STALL TRANSMISSION AND MY CAR COULDN'T SHIFT UP OR DOWN WAS KEEPING INTO 3RD GEAR AND MY ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON! *TR

NHTSA ID

10684218

Incident

Feb 11, 2015

Mileage

109,600 mi

ENTERING A CROWDED PARKING LOT IN THE CITY OF CHICAGO, I SLOWED DOWN TO APPROX. 2 MPH (ALMOST IDLE SPEED) AS I APPROACHED THE TICKET DISPENSER WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN THE CAR ACCELERATED OVER 6000 RPMS AND TOOK OFF. AS REFLEX, I SLAMMED THE BRAKES (SINCE THE ABS DOESN'T WORK WITHOUT POWER) BUT THE ACCELERATION KEPT INCREASING AND THE BRAKES WERE NOT INHIBITING MOVEMENT SO I THEN FORCED THE KEY OUT OF THE IGNITION AND PULLED THE EMERGENCY BREAK - ALL WITHIN A SECOND OR TWO. THE CAR STOPPED WITHIN INCHES OF HITTING A FEW OTHER CARS AND PEOPLE INSIDE THOSE CARS AFTER THE FORWARD MOMENTUM HAD BEEN OVERCOMPENSATED BY THE INITIAL BRAKE PUSH AND EMERGENCY BRAKING. THERE WAS A STRONG BURNT RUBBER AND OIL SMELL BUT IT WASN'T FROM THE TIRES. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AFTER TWO DRIVING CYCLES AND HAS REMAINED ON. THIS IS A VERY SERIOUS SITUATION THAT NEEDS ATTENTION! I AM VERY EXPERIENCED DRIVER AND KNEW WHAT TO DO AND HOW TO DO IT BUT WAS STILL WITHIN INCHES OF SERIOUSLY HURTING OTHERS AND DESTROYING PROPERTY. I ALSO SUFFERED WHIPLASH ON MY NECK AND HIT THE STEERING COLUMN AS A RESULT OF THE SUDDEN STOP. AIR BAGS WERE NOT DEPLOYED. THERE ARE SEVERAL INCIDENTS THAT HAVE BEEN REPORTED IN THE PAST FEW MONTHS (MARCH 2013 - MAY 2013) BY DRIVERS IN SEVERAL STATES ON THIS SAME YEAR MODEL. I AM URGING NHTSA TO LOOK INTO THIS. I WILL ALSO CONTACT HYUNDAI AND IF HYUNDAI DOESN'T RESPOND I WILL BE CONTACTING MEDIA OUTLETS BECAUSE HYUNDAI OWNERS NEED TO BE INFORMED OF THIS VERY DANGEROUS AND POTENTIALLY FATAL SITUATION. *TR

NHTSA ID

10586919

Incident

May 5, 2014

Mileage

63,980 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 HYUNDAI ELANTRA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT ACCELERATE BUT THEN SUDDENLY ACCELERATED AND FAILED TO SLOW DOWN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE HAD TO APPLY THE EMERGENCY BRAKE TO STOP THE VEHICLE. AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS STOPPED AND THE ENGINE WAS TURNED OFF, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS SEIZED. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE HOME. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 120,000. UPDATED 05/10/13*LJ UPDATED 05/21/2013 *JS

NHTSA ID

10501146

Incident

Mar 2, 2013

Mileage

120,000 mi

WHILE DRIVING THE CAR BEGAN TO ACCELERATE ON ITS OWN,HAD TO PUSH HARD ON BRAKES TO AVOID, HITTING ANOTHER CAR.BRAKES HAD TO BE APPLIED HARD. *TR

NHTSA ID

10497604

Incident

Feb 8, 2013

Mileage

29,755 mi

DEAR MADAM/SIR, MY NAME IS [XXX], AND ALONG WITH MY HUSBAND [XXX] I OWN AN AUTOMATIC SILVER HYUNDAI ELANTRA 2008, PLATE NUMBER: [XXX], VIN: [XXX]. WE PURCHASED THE CAR NEW, SERVICED IT IN A TIMELY FASHION, AS REQUIRED, ONLY AT HYUNDAI REPRESENTATIVES. THE CAR METER CURRENTLY READS CLOSE TO 40,000 MILES. ON JANUARY 2ND, 2013 ARUND 4:15 PM I PARKED MY CAR ON THE STREET, IN FRONT OF MY HOUSE, FACING UPHILL, LIKE I USUALLY DO. HALF AN HOUR LATER A FRIEND ARRIVED, PARKED HER CAR DOWN THE STREET, FACING DOWNHILL, 100 FEET AWAY FROM MY CAR, SAME SIDE OF THE STREET. AT THAT TIME SHE REMEMBERS SHE SAW MY CAR IN THE SAME SPOT I INITIALLY PARKED IT. AN HOUR LATER, AS MY FRIEND WAS GETTING READY TO LEAVE, MY HUSBAND LOOKED OVER THE WINDOW AND SAW MY CAR AROUND 50 FEET DOWN THE ROAD FROM MY USUAL PARKING SPOT. HE INITIALLY THOUGH THAT THE PARKING SPACE WAS OCCUPIED WHEN I ARRIVED HOME, SO HE HANDED ME THE CAR KEYS SO I CAN BRING THE CAR IN FRONT OF THE HOUSE. WHEN I WALKED WITH MY FRIEND TOWARDS HER CAR, WE SAW THAT MY CAR HAS SLID DOWN THE ROAD AROUND 50 FEET, PROBABLY PUSHING MY FRIEND'S CAR AROUND 10 FEET AWAY FROM HER INITIAL PARKING LOCATION. THE FRONT BUMPER OF MY CAR DOES NOT HAVE SCRATCHES, SO IT IS NOT LIKELY THAT MY CAR HAS BEEN PUSHED BY ANOTHER CAR. AS A RESULT OF THE COLLISION THE HYUNDAI ELANTRA HAS A COMPLETELY DAMAGED REAR BUMPER, WITH CONSIDERABLE DAMAGE TO THE TRUNK ALSO. MY FRIENDS CAR (A LEXUS RX, 2012) HAS THE REAR BUMPER DAMAGED. WE BELIEVE THIS INCIDENT WAS DUE TO FAULTY TRANSMISSION ON THE HYUNDAI ELANTRA. IN PAST, WE HAD SEVERAL INCIDENTS . AT THIS POINT I AM VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THE SAFETY OF MY CAR. I DRIVE MY DAUGHTER IN THAT CAR, AND IF THE CAR DECIDES TO SLIDE DOWN THE ROAD ON ITS OWN, THIS PUTS MY BABY'S LIFE IN DANGER. THANKS [XXX] MY HYUNDAI CASE NUMBER IS [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

NHTSA ID

10494550

Incident

Jan 3, 2013

Mileage

39,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 HYUNDAI ELANTRA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHENEVER THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED ON AN INCLINE, THE VEHICLE WOULD ROLL AWAY AND COME OUT OF PARK. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO STATED THAT THE PARK PAWL FAILED. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED IN ORDER TO REPAIR THE PROBLEM. THE MANUFACTURER ADVISED THAT THE CONTACT SHOULD ALWAYS ENGAGE ON THE EMERGENCY BRAKE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 25,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 100,125.

NHTSA ID

10483176

Incident

Nov 11, 2009

Mileage

25,000 mi

2008 HYUNDAI ELANTRA WOULD NOT SHIFT INTO PARK. TRIED MOVING THE VEHICLE TO ANOTHER LOCATION, ADJUSTING STEERING WHEEL AND SHIFT LEVER. FINALLY, DEPRESSED SHIFT LOCK OVERRIDE BEFORE I COULD GO TO PARK AND REMOVE THE KEY. THE NEXT MORNING, THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT SHIFT OUT OF PARK. HAD TO DEPRESS SHIFT LOCK OVERRIDE TO START THE CAR. *TR

NHTSA ID

10475598

Incident

Sep 14, 2012

Mileage

88,000 mi

I STARTED TO EXIT THE VEHICLE IN PARK ON A VERY SLIGHT INCLINE WHEN IT STARTED BUCKING FORWARD AND I ALMOST FELL OUT OF THE VEHICLE. I TOLD HYUNDAI SERVICE THAT IT WAS DANGEROUS AND SHOULD BE REPAIRED AND THEY SAID TO PUT THE EMERGENCY BRAKE ON BEFORE I PUT IT IN PARK AND IT WAS NOT AN ISSUE. I HAVE DRIVEN HUNDREDS OF CARS AND NEVER HAD A CAR START JERKING FORWARD IN PARK NO MATTER WHAT INCLINE I WAS ON. THIS CONDITION IS DANGEROUS AND HYUNDAI SHOULD FIX IT. THE SHIFTER STAYS IN PARK WHILE THIS IS OCCURRING. *TR

NHTSA ID

10460325

Incident

May 1, 2012

Mileage

48,000 mi

AFTER PULLING INTO THE DRIVEWAY AND PUTTING THE CAR IN PARK THE CAR WOULD SKIP DOWN THE DRIVEWAY AND INTO THE ROAD. THIS HAS HAPPENED NUMEROUS TIMES IN VARIOUS DRIVEWAYS. THE DRIVEWAYS ARE NOT STEEP OR OUT OF THE ORDINARY. HYUNDAI CONFIRMED THE PROBLEM AND HAS REPLACED THE TRANSMISSION DUE TO THE LOCKING PIN NOT ENGAGING. IT IS DANGEROUS BECAUSE ANYONE IN THE ROAD OR IN YOUR DRIVEWAY CAN BE HIT BY THE CAR AS IT SKIPS DOWN THE DRIVEWAY.

NHTSA ID

10383568

Incident

Dec 1, 2010

Mileage

23,000 mi

I WAS DRIVING MY 2008 HYUNDAI ELANTRA ON THE HIGHWAY AND BEGAN DRIVING ON THE EXIT RAMP WHEN THE BRAKE WAS APPLIED THE CAR ACCELERATED TO A SPEED OF 85MPH. I HAD BOTH FEET ON THE BRAKE AND THE CAR WOULD NOT STOP. I PUT THE CAR IN NEUTRAL AND IT SLOWED TO 20MPH. AT THAT POINT I PUT THE CAR IN PARK AND TURNED IT OFF. THE CAR WAS SMOKING AND I COULD SMELL SOMETHING BURNING. CAR WAS TAKEN TO HYUNDAI DEALERSHIP WHERE THEY TOLD ME THE THROTTLE CABLE HAD DEBRIS ON IT AND MALFUNCTIONED CAUSING THE THROTTLE TO ACCELERATE TO HIGH SPEED. THE CAR HAD ACCELERATED TWICE BEFORE BUT NOT TO SUCH HIGH SPEEDS AND WOULD REACT TO THE BRAKES BEING APPLIED. *TR

NHTSA ID

10369495

Incident

Dec 6, 2010

Mileage

90,000 mi

MY 2008 HYUNDAI ELANTRA WILL AUTOMATICALLY ACCELERATE WITHOUT WARNING ABOVE THE SPEED THAT I AM DRIVING, WHICH ALMOST CAUSED AN ACCIDENT WHILE I HAD 4 TEENAGERS IN MY CAR. I BOUGHT MY CAR NEW AND I HAVE BEEN EXPERIENCING THIS PROBLEM FOR AT LEAST A YEAR, I'M NOT SURE OF THE DATE THIS PROBLEM STARTED. HYUNDAI DEALERSHIP EXPERIENCED THE PROBLEM AND PUT NEW TRANSMISSION IN AND PROBLEM IS STILL NOT FIXED. HYUNDAI AND DEALERSHIP ARE REFUSING TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. I DO NOT FEEL SAFE TO DRIVE MY FAMILY IN THIS VEHICLE AND I WON'T. I CAN'T SEEM TO GET ANYONE TO HELP ME. *TR

NHTSA ID

10335214

Incident

Apr 7, 2010

Mileage

36,454 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 HYUNDAI ELANTRA. WHILE DRIVING 1 MPH DURING SNOWY CONDITIONS, THE ABS LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN IMPOUND LOT. THE VEHICLE WAS LATER TOWED TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALERSHIP WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE CV JOINT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE PROBLEM REOCCURRED AND THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE IT WAS AT THE TIME OF THE COMPLAINT. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 16,500.

NHTSA ID

10331194

Incident

Feb 1, 2010

Mileage

16,500 mi

1) POOR GAS MILEAGE - NOT MEETING EPA ESTIMATES. TOOK TO DEALER 3 TIMES. HAD FUEL PUMP REPLACED AFTER CAR STALLED ON ROADWAY AND WOULD NOT RESULT. STALLING STOPPED BUT MPG IS BELOW EPA ESTIMATES - DEALER SAYS EVERYTHING OK... 2) AUTO TRANSMISSION SPUTTERS AND DOESN''T DOWNSHIFT PROPERLY - HAVE TO MANUALLY DOWNSHIFT TO MAINTAIN PROPER TORQUE ON MOTOR. I FEEL LIKE I AM DRIVING A STICK SHIFT I HAVE TO DOWNSHIFT SO OFTEN TO KEEP CAR FROM SPUTTERING AND MAINTAIN ACCELERATION. DEALER SAY EVERYTHING OK. I READ THAT THERE IS AN ACKNOWLEDGE TORQ PROBLEM BUT MANUFACTURE HAS NOT ISSUED A FIX... *TR

NHTSA ID

10259150

Incident

Jan 1, 2009

Mileage

200 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 HYUNDAI ELANTRA. WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH WITH THE CRUISE CONTROL ACTIVATED, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO JUMP WHEN THE CRUISE CONTROL WAS DEACTIVATED. THE CONTACT DID NOT APPLY ANY PRESSURE TO THE BRAKE PEDAL. THE VEHICLE WAS PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND THE CONTACT SHUT IT OFF. THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO BE RESTARTED, BUT WHEN HE RELEASED THE CLUTCH TO PLACE THE VEHICLE IN FIRST GEAR, IT WOULD STALL. AFTER A FEW ATTEMPTS TO RELEASE THE CLUTCH TO SHIFT INTO FIRST GEAR, THE CONTACT APPLIED PRESSURE TO THE BRAKE PEDAL AND THE VEHICLE MOVED FORWARD. THE MANUFACTURER ADVISED HIM TO TAKE THE VEHICLE TO A LOCAL DEALER. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO THE DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT THE ABS MODULE NEEDED TO BE RESET AND INDICATED LOW VOLTAGE. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 22,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 19,000.

NHTSA ID

10248319

Incident

Oct 30, 2008

Mileage

19,000 mi